Two 18-year-old men were charged Friday with a string of armed robberies in the Madison area.
Nicholas A. Ivy and Elijah T. Phillips could both face life in prison if convicted of seven armed robberies committed since November.
Criminal complaints allege the suspects’ last robbery occurred Feb. 3 outside of JJ’s Top of the Swamp Tavern in Westport, where they robbed a female employee of $215 and her cellular phone.
The report says Ivy allegedly committed the first robbery Nov. 12 at Bailey’s Bar, demanding a bank bag containing $700 from an employee. According to the complaint, the employee suggested that the men lock him in the cooler, advice the men may have taken to heart in later robberies.
Phillips allegedly joined Ivy to rob the West Broadway Antler’s Tavern Nov. 18, and robbed a Stoughton Road Wendy’s Restaurant with handguns Dec. 6, according to reports, where they allegedly ordered the manager into the freezer and left with $1,140.
The complaint alleges Ivy attempted to rob four people at Tully’s II in Monona but one of the men grabbed his gun, and Ivy escaped.
The men allegedly continued their crime spree at the Dry Bean Saloon in Fitchburg, where they stole a safe with approximately $5000 in cash, according to the report. The complaint said the next crime targeted Licari’s Tavern in Madison, where Phillips and Ivy allegedly stole $1000 and backed the janitor into the cooler.
According to court documents, Ivy is charged with felonies of armed robberies with threat of force, use of a dangerous weapon, carrying a concealed weapon and bail jumping after he was arrested for robbery on a return visit to Jerry’s Tavern, according to the complaint.
